


Observations

by sirenslament



Category: RWBY
Genre: Cannon Divergence, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Mild Hurt/Comfort, More tags to be added, Not Beta Read, Pre fall of beacon during the vytal festival, blake belladonna is smart, emerald and Mercury get to defect, eventually
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-04
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-14 11:21:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,068
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28544745
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sirenslament/pseuds/sirenslament
Summary: Blake Belladonna notices something achingly familiar in two of the exchange students from Haven. After overhearing them in the library, she decides to step in and try to help them realize the truth that they are so close to seeing.
Relationships: Blake Belladonna & Emerald Sustrai, Mercury Black & Emerald Sustrai, Other Relationship Tags to Be Added, mercury black & Blake Belladonna
Comments: 13
Kudos: 31





	1. Accidentally Eavesdropping

**Author's Note:**

> I guess this is technically Janurwby day three?
> 
> Whenever I write one offs the evolve ?? Whelp. Murder children join core squad maybe? I’m actually really excited for this. I basically went:  
> “ I want more fics of them defecting/getting love and care in some way” 
> 
> Be the change you want to see in the world kids, I have a big storm of fics for them coming down the pipeline and am continuing the one I’m already writing don’t worry.

He was coiled so tight. Always on guard behind his easy mask he put on,as was she. She was too pleasant and he was too laid back. Blake noted it, but it wasn’t her story to tell even if those really looking could read it easier then a children’s fable. 

Whenever they thought they weren’t in sight of others, they changed. Their faces hardened annoyed at the facade they put up. Blake knew that sometimes people just did that,still she struck it as odd. She wasn’t one to eavesdrop, but when they picked the mostly empty library to discuss their problems, she over heard bits and pieces. She said hello the first time, but usually when they came in she was curled in an odd corner reading. They complained conditions getting tougher,leaders getting stricter, and talk of the story of the maidens. She listened, for weeks. 

Then she over heard them discuss the plan for Yang in the solo round. Emerald seemed unsure and Mercury brushed it off as for the best. Emerald then brought up what could happen to Penny and Mercury replied that she was just some dumb robot. 

Blake rose from her chair letting it squeak against the floor purposely and the two of them froze. 

Their story was obvious, to anyone who listened like she trained herself too. Mercury’s gait was never quite natural when he walked, and Emeralds smile an impressive imitation of Ruby’s. Infiltration, and impressively done. But she knows by now, the way they danced around the lies they’ve been fed. They know, they deny but they know. 

“ You’re tired” Blake says with a genuine smile, closing her book with finality. 

“You really do come here everyday” Emerald tries for a saccharin smile, her voice barely faltering. Mercury’s unreadable expression didn’t help her case much. Emeralds false sheepishness couldn’t cover what she had heard. 

“ This isn’t what you signed up for”

“ We knew exactly what we where getting into” Mercury snarled, false pretenses dropped. Cornered. It reminded Blake of a wolf pup she once ran into. Scared, alone and wanting to lash out. 

“ Why continue to fight for a cause like this, that hurts people?”

Emerald had the empathy to look genuinely guilty. “ it’s not like they matter to us, in the end” and Blake new she didn’t believe it. 

Mercury went to lunge and Emerald stepped in front of him to stop him. 

“ Cinder said not to get our hands dirty” she said simply. 

“ Cinder would leave either of us for dead” He looked almost hurt for a microsecond and made to move past her.

“ She’d have every right too. She’s given us everything” Emerald stared him down hard not moving. 

“ You don’t owe her anything” Blake try’s for calm.

“ I owe her  everything “ 

“ For the smart one, it’s really stupid of you not to leave” Mercury snarked cutting off Emerald “ it would be two on one” 

Blake put her hands up placatingly “ I don’t want to fight. I’ve been in a similar situation before. Fighting for a cause I believed in, with someone I believed in. He was my everything and slowly things escalated. Accidents turned into necessary sacrifices. A maiming here, an injury there. A white lie here and flat out gaslighting there”

Mercury narrowed his eyes. Emerald just stared at her blankly. 

“ It’s hard to unlearn all of that and I won’t be able to convince you in a day.” She starts to walk away “ But if you want a chance at something better, you know where to find me.”

She took a calculated risk, she knew. 

She hoped it was worth it. 


	2. Fairytales

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> RWBY has a conversation and come to a decision

“ They’re doing what?!” Yangs eyes flashed red in hearing of their betrayal she stood up from the bed with rage flowing in her veins “ they lied to us!”

Blake knew she couldn’t hide this from her team, so she immediately headed from the library to her dorm room

Weiss ,poised sitting with her legs leaning one on the other against the bed frame looked pensive then spoke carefully,

“ We should tell Ozpin about all this”

“ No” Ruby looked hurt, her eyes almost watery but with a quiet determination she was standing“ we should wait and see if they come to us first”

“ It’s not too late for them” Blake was sitting on the floor leaning against the post of her bunk.

“They are planning to betray us, why on earth should we trust them?” Yang was still furious

“ I don’t think they want to” Her ears were flat against her head as she spoke, too sharp and suddenly unsure

“ Blake, do you trust them?” Ruby’s silver eyes felt like they were tearing into her soul

“I think we should try to, I think they need people to help them or they’ll never be able to do the right thing”

“ Then that settles it, we trust you and trust your judgment” Ruby smiles brightly, so optimistic in her views .

“ I don’t like this” The ice queen fluffed her dress and folded her hand on her lap “ But I’ll trust you”

Yangs arms were still crossed “ If they try anything, anything at all we take them down”

Before she could respond her ears shot up at a noise outside the door and she put a finger to her lips and then stood up to open it

Emerald almost stumbled when the door swung open inward. But she managed to right herself. She attempted to look like she didn’t care even though her ear had clearly been against the door before it had been opened.

“ We’ll hear you out or whatever” 

Mercury was leaning against the wall next to the door, face unreadably dark and clouded.It struck Blake as reminiscent of Yang, if she let her emotions run cold instead of hot. He’ll jut his chin toward Emerald with a nod.

“ What’s your favorite fairytale?” Ruby asked too cheerfully

“What?” Mercury scowled as he spoke

“You’re favorite fairytale!”

“Just answer her”Yang’s eyes where still narrowed, but no longer red

“ she won’t give up until you do” Weiss sighed amusedly

“ The Thief and the Butcher” Mercury anwered evenly after a pause

“ The Tale of the Four Maidens” Emerald said a moment later “ Why do you care?”

“Because, It shows the kind of hero you want to be” Ruby’s grin was contagious among her teammates “ and I think, you both could be great ones”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who's back, back again.


End file.
